The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for automatically folding a sheet of a media, for example, a photographic paper, about a fold line such that an album page is formed. The photosensitive media has images only on one side. A heat activated adhesive sheet is provided between the sides of the photographic paper during folding. The adhesive sheet when exposed to heated and pressure rollers, will cause the sides of the photographic media to be secured to form a single album page.
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making an album leaf, preferably out of photographic paper.
In a typical photofinishing lab photographic prints are made using a mini-lab or a high volume printer. In a high volume printer the prints are produced on a roll of photographic paper whereas in a mini-lab the prints may be made on cut sheets or from a roll of photographic paper that is cut into individual prints. It is know from U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,004,061; 5,957,502; and 5,791,692 that album pages can be made by folding a cut sheet of material such as photographic paper and adhesively securing the folded sides together. While the technique of folding the sheet produces an excellent product, there is a need to be able to make photographic album pages in a high volume, low cost environment. In particular there is a need to produce album leafs from photographic paper produced either by high speed photographic printers or mini-labs.
In one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for making an album leaf from an image bearing sheet having an image bearing side and a non-image bearing side, comprising:
a supply of adhesive sheet material;
a second roller positioned adjacent the first roller so as to form a first nip there between, the second roller is used for driving the adhesive sheet into the first nip against the image bearing sheet that is driven by the first roller; and
a third roller positioned adjacent the first roller so as to form a second nip there between, the third and the first roller moving in a direction which causes the image bearing sheet to be folded firmly about the adhesive sheet and moved through the second nip so as to form an album leaf.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for making an album leaf, comprising the steps of:
providing an image bearing sheet having an image bearing side having a first image section and a second image section separated by a fold line;
providing a supply of adhesive sheet material;
providing a second roller for transporting of the adhesive sheet having a leading edge, the first roller and the second roller being position adjacent each other so as to form a first nip;
providing a third roller for transporting of the sheet and the adhesive sheet, the first roller and the third roller being position adjacent each other so as to form a second nip;
transporting the image bearing sheet using a first roller and the adhesive sheet using a second roller in the same direction through the first nip so that the leading edge of the adhesive sheet is substantially aligned with the fold line during transporting;
disengaging the adhesive sheet from the second roller onto the image bearing sheet;
moving the first and third rollers so that the image bearing sheet is folded about the fold line so as to form the album leaf.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for making an album leaf from an image bearing sheet using a first roller, a second roller, and a third roller, the first roller and the second roller being positioned adjacent each other so as to form a first nip, the first roller and the third roller being positioned adjacent each other so as to form a second nip, the image bearing sheet having a first image section and a second image section, the first image section being separated from the second image section by a fold line, comprising the steps of:
feeding the image bearing sheet through the first nip using the first roller;
feeding an adhesive sheet through the first nip using the second roller, the adhesive sheet having a leading edge, the first and second roller being driven so that the leading edge is substantially aligned with the fold line;
disengaging the adhesive sheet from the second roller;
feeding the image bearing sheet and the adhesive sheet into the second nip so as to fold the image bearing sheet about the adhesive sheet.
These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings.